Until we gather with and spiritually connect with Christ-transformed individuals, there will be little unity among Christians. When Christ-transformed individuals recognize each other there’s an instant sense of kinship and community. I sold black history books during college summers and every day I had empowering encounters with Christ-transformed individuals.

Christ-transformed individuals break the religious mold and embrace their calling to be unique and diverse members of Christ’s body. Don’t be a religious clone. Be a Christ-transformed individual connecting heart-to-heart with others who want to freely follow Jesus. Perhaps it’s time to de-clone church attendees.

Spirit-led heart-change happens to individuals, not to religious institutions. Christian meetings should train people to be Spirit-led. They should never take the place of God’s Spirit. Before Christianity can be a group thing, it must begin with Christ-transformed individuals.

A group religious meeting that keeps Christ-transformed individuals in a passive and silent role may be doing more harm than good. Churches need to encourage Christ-transformed individuals to speak up about Jesus, not keep them quiet.

Disciple making is about training, empowering, and releasing Christ-transformed individuals to daily follow and obey the risen Jesus. A religious hierarchy tends to silence Christ-transformed individuals and force them to conform to group protocol.

Christian community begins with Christ-transformed individuals, not with organized meetings for religious “services.” When “going to church” replaced personal connection among Christ-transformed individuals, institutionalism replaced the body of Christ. Revival happens when Christ-transformed individuals begin to recognize and humbly open their heart to each other.

Christ-transformed individuals have a supernatural, inner connection with each other that can override their differences. The body of Christ consists of Christ-transformed individuals. It’s not a religious hierarchy or a human-led institution. When Christ-transformed individuals gather and connect with humble, open hearts, God’s glory fills the atmosphere.

Christ-transformed individuals need more than religious lecture. They need hands-on training and personal experience in obeying God’s Spirit. When Christ-transformed individuals are trained to perpetually depend on sermons, they tend to drift away from being Spirit-led.

Christ-transformed individuals do life with the living Jesus. They’re quick to apologize and make things right when they slip up and do something wrong.

Biblical Christianity is a Spirit-led lifestyle not a pastor-led Sunday program. Christ-transformed individuals are led by the Holy Spirit, not by their own desires, emotions, and opinions.

The risen Jesus should be the Lord of a Christian but sinful habits give ungodly desires lordship over a person. Ungodly desires and Jesus can’t both be Lord of your life at the same time. When Christians believe they are 100% free from sin, they often “cast the first stone.” Because Christ-transformed individuals have a strong definition of sin (missing the mark of God’s perfect moral standards in actions, omissions, thoughts, or heart) they show much mercy and kindness toward others.

Christ-transformed individuals
Are often in disguise.
You can't always recognize
Them with your natural eyes
But when you mention Jesus
You see His glory rise
And shine thru their eyes.

I love to let
God’s grace
Displace
My distractions
With His Spirit
And put His glory
In their place.
That happens the most
When I have
Nothing to base
My hope on
But Jesus.

The witness
Of God's Spirit,
Can you hear it.
Silently sounding
And abounding
Within you?